We all know that Canada’s large “Baby Boomer” cohort is aging rapidly.

According to Statistics Canada:

• By 2036, the number of seniors will reach approximately 10 million — more than double the 4.7 million in 2009
• Seniors will account for almost 25% of the population by that time — nearly double the 13.9% in 2009

This growing number of seniors is already challenging Canada’s social safety net and healthcare system.

On a personal level, almost every family faces difficult but unavoidable issues:

• Do our parents have wills, “living wills” and powers of attorney?
• Our family can’t agree on an aging parent’s housing arrangements
• Grandma still wants to drive, but I don’t think it’s safe
• Dad told me once that he never wants to be “hooked up to a machine,” but we don’t have anything in writing.

I call people dealing with these issues the “Maturing Family.”

Today’s “Maturing Family” consists of aging Baby Boomer parents, their busy, dual-income children and their children – along with step parents, step children and ex-spouses. Parents and children may not live in the same city, province or country. Some members of the family may be estranged.

Between a glance at the statistics, and reflection on our personal experiences, the growing need for “Elder Mediation” becomes clear.

Elder Mediation helps families settle disputes arising between senior parents and their children who don’t agree about how to resolve the significant, life changing issues impacting their family.

While Elder Mediation resembles other forms of family mediation, this topic presents unique challenges to mediators and facilitators.

That’s why I’m launching Canada’s first Elder Mediation Training Program in early 2011.

This is not just another “workshop.”

This formal, comprehensive two day training program provides an intensive introduction to the knowledge base related to Elder Mediation.

Participants will also have ample opportunity for interactive learning, showing them how to put their new knowledge into practice.

As part of the Elder Mediation Training Program:

• Participants will learn exactly how to facilitate conversations between family members
• A physician will put on a “mini med school” about medications, dementia and other health problems specific to the elderly
• A lawyer will explain various legalities from a Canadian perspective
• And much more

Participants can then choose to take an additional advanced three day training program, which is divided into two streams:

• One stream for accredited mediators who are already members of Family Mediation Canada and/or the Ontario Association of Family Mediation or equivalency
• One stream for facilitators who are not accredited, but who have backgrounds in gerontology, social work, counseling, nursing and education

Being able to tell clients that you are specifically trained in Elder Mediation will be an impressive credential.

As the population ages, it makes good sense to begin training in Elder Mediation as soon as possible.

To find out more about Canada’s first Elder Mediation Training Program, set to begin in January 2011, please contact me at 416-924-2404 (or toll-free at 1-866-924-2404)